What is hypnosis?

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        What is Hypnosis?

The earliest known description of hypnosis dates back more than 6000 years ago to rites performed in Egyptian sleep temples. The Indus Vedas knowledge sacred book written around 1500 BC, mentions the use of hypnotic techniques and procedures in detail yet in 2012 we still find it difficult to answer the question "what is hypnosis?". 'All sciences alike have descended from magic and superstition, but none have been so slow as hypnosis in shaking off the association of its origin'. (Clark Hull, Hypnosis and suggestibility, 1984).

The grandfather of hypnosism is regarded to be Franz Anton Mesmer who achieved some very amazing cures. He was, however, prone to be a bit theatrical wearing long flowing robes and brandishing a wand to complete his wizard image. Treatments and cures were conducted in large arenas with many onlookers.

The film Svengali, although pure fiction did a lot to discredit hypnosis for many years by portraying hypnotists as evil predators and also inspired the emerging stage hypnotists. Even today stage hypnotists continue to discredit hypnotism making it hard to be taken seriously as an emerging science. It is my view that the use of hypnotism for entertainment should be completely banned.

Abuse allegations where hypnotism has been said to be a contributing factor still regularly appear in our newspapers fueling the public perception that the only safe hypnosis is that which is performed in a public arena in front of millions of people for entertainment.

My introduction would not be complete without mentioning the impact of the church. As a practicing Christian I find it difficult to understand how people practicing the same faith as me could believe that hypnotism  could be believed to be evil. What i find more astounding is the fact that some people, educated people still think that today. 'Whilst hypnosis and its use in hypnotherapy seem merely to be the input by the hypnotist of ideas into the subconscious of a subject in a heightened state of suggestibility, I would contend that this art of psychic manipulation is in fact of demonic origin. Though these roots of hypnosis are now obscured by an undergrowth of scientific jargon, it remains a dangerous activity to anyone involved.' (Dr A. D. Bambridge, Nucleus, 1987)

 

There is no exact definition of what hypnosis is, mainly because no such definition can be agreed upon by all the experts. It has been described as 'the deliberate inducement or facilitation by one person in another person or a number of people of a trance state. A trance state is one in which a person's usual means of orientating himself in reality have faded, so that the boundaries between the external world and the inner world of thoughts, feelings, memories and imagination begin to dissolve.' (Robin Waterfield, Hidden Depths, 2004). It has also been described as 'a state of mental relaxation and restricted awareness in which the subjects are usually engrossed in their inner experiences such as feelings and imagery, are less analytical and logical in their thinking, and have an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestions in an automatic and dissociated manner.' (Windy Dryden, Hypnotherapy, a handbook, 1991). The clearest description being 'a state of mind brought about by the use of a set of techniques. It enhances an individual's concentration and increases their responsiveness to suggestion in order to make the beneficial changes that the individual may wish to make in their thought patterns, their behaviour or their physiological state.' (Chrysalis, 2010)

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'It is probably more useful to describe hypnosis than attempt to define it. Features of the hypnotic state include the following:

Acceptance of imaginary phenomena in place of sensory experience, and                                 detachment from the sensorium;

Suspension of reality testing, suspension of everyday cognitive logic and                                 secondary-process thinking;

Narrowing of attention (a sort of mental tunnel vision) to the content of the                         focus of the hypnotic exercise: suggested by the therapist or created by the                         subject's own imagination or memory;

'splitting' of consciousness into separate channels that communicate in only                         one direction (i.e. The subject's normal consciousness, attitudes, reality                                 testing ...

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